Revenge of the Silmaril Jewels
by Xanabell
Summary: The Sequel to What The! When Thranduil finds one of the Silmaril jewels, Xana, Nix, Courtney, Crystal and Miki are thrown back together with the Fellowship as they try to find all the jewels before Melkor does. There are far older evils in Middle Earth than Sauron. R
1. Moving into Rivendell and a new threat

Chapter 1: Moving into Rivendell  
Disclaimer: After 50 chapters of the last story I'd have thought that by now you'd have the idea that I OWN NOTHING

I'm back!  
Hey guys welcome back into the world of Xana, Nix, Miki, Courtney and Crystal.  
This part of the sequel that follows tells you lot what happened in the 12 years since the war of the ring. The later parts will lead you to where Miki's story ended.

Thanks to those who have waited patiently for the sequel  
Hope you enjoy,

}{anabell

R&R

Xana heaved the last of the furniture into its new place. Elrond's youngest had just rearranged the room that was now hers at Rivendell. Elladan and Elrohir had helped her earlier on but gave up around midday, leaving their sister to finish the job. _Some help they were. I must remember to use that against them as often as I can_. She smiled as she left the room, now to her liking. The bed was originally against the wall was now in the middle of the room and had the headboard against the wall, her desk was now next to the door. Grabbing her bow, she headed down to the archery field, hopefully to annoy the shit out of Haldir with her archery skills.

As she arrived she saw Haldir and Nix making out under the shade of a tree. Smiling at the memory of when they first started to date, she decided to give them a wakeup call. _She should be planning her wedding not making out with my archery partner._ She thought as she raised her bow and released the arrow, which at the moment were Elrohir's scaring them out of their wits. Nix jumped up and started yelling "**XANABELL HESTIA LAVENDER GLAURUR! YOU BETTER HOPE THAT I CAN'T THROW MY SWORD THAT FAR!**" as she started to run toward her friend  
"**BUT IT WAS ELROHIR!**" Xana yelled as she tried to outrun Nix as she did to Rumil and Orophin, Elladan and Elrohir on a regular basis. Nix finally managed to tackle Xana in the main square of Rivendell, sending her friend into the pavement before they started to roll around, both forgetting that they were wearing dresses, messing their hair up and causing a ruckus to the usually calm Rivendell before Elrond strode out of his office shaking his head as he turned around to greet the party from Mirkwood  
"**Welcome to Rivendell, my lords**" he said bowing to Thranduil before quickly adding "**Please excuse my daughter and Nix, they still act very immaturely sometimes. Don't you girls?**"  
"Sorry dad, but remember we aren't half as bad as 'Dan and 'Ro" Xana said as she pulled herself and Nix from the ground and straightened her dress and hair  
"**You wouldn't be my Xana if you weren't just a little immature.**" Said Legolas from where he sat next to Thranduil  
"Deal with it!" she said back before taking out a leather thong and pulling her hair back into her ponytail and stalking off, picking her dress up like a lady and walking back to her room and flopped back first onto her bed, realising how comfortable it was compared to the bunk bed she had in Valinor before there was a knock at her door  
"Xanabell, can I come in?" called Elrond from the other side  
"Sure, dad! Whatdya want?" she said motioning for him to sit down  
"I'd like to know if you're okay... you're usually never that rowdy" he said taking her hand in his  
"Dad, that was nothing compared to what Nix and I used to do back home. We used to spear tackle each other occasionally or if we really wanted to, we'd jump on the other's back" Xana said trying to hide her embarrassment at the entire scene  
"Well, I came here to say that King Thranduil has requested your presence in the study." Elrond said as he got up  
"Do I have to go? I have letters to respond to! Arwen sent me one a week ago!" she whined looking for an excuse not to meet the king  
"Legolas said that you might say that so he said to use some amount of force. Xana my office now!" he said dragging her the full length to the study  
"This will be my end..." Xana hissed as Elrond announced her and led her in  
"**Xanabell! How are you, milady?**" asked Thranduil as he stood up. Now about a month after Aragorn's coronation had he finally decided to accept that no matter what he said to Legolas, his child was always meant to be with Xana. That didn't mean that he had to like it, only put up with it  
"**I'm quite fine, thank-you, your highness.**" She said bowing at the king. The bow was only to annoy Elrond who had told her that she should curtsey  
"**Legolas has managed to convince me that no matter what I do or say about you to him he will keep on loving you. Is this correct Legolas?**" he asked motioning for Legolas to move forward  
"**It is indeed father. I love her with all my being. Even though she can be immature sometimes...**" he said smiling at her  
"**Well, lady Xanabell, I know we started out on the wrong foot but knowing my son is friends with a dwarf, having an elf, from Valinor, doesn't seem that bad anymore. Truce?**" he asked standing up  
"As long as you agree to stop calling me 'lady Xanabell'. Xana's just fine" she said shaking his hand noticing the jewel on his front "Interesting jewel you have there" she said pointing to it  
"Xana..." hissed Elrond, preparing to scold her  
"No its fine Elrond. That's what I came to talk to you about" Thranduil said indicating that this wasn't something he wanted their children to hear  
"We'll see you two at dinner, Xana, weren't you going to show Legolas that place you found?" asked Elrond leading them out  
"Yeah! follow me 'Las!" she yelled picking up her skirt and ran away from the office  
"Does she ever run out of energy?" Legolas asked  
"Not that we know of yet. Elladan and Elrohir have tried but to no avail." the wizened elf lord said before his daughter's boyfriend followed her down the hall  
"Xana, what are you planning on showing me?" he asked when he finally caught up with her  
"My eavesdropping skills." she hissed back while motioning for him to give her a leg up  
"**Call the council, Thranduil, if that's what I think it is, Melkor will stop at nothing to get it back. We may have defeated Sauron but there are evils older than him in this world.**" Elrond said as he paced around the room  
"**Then what Elrond? There are two others...**" started Thranduil  
"**Two others that he might already have!**" hissed Elrond  
"**I'll call the meeting. I have an idea where the other two might be...**" he finished turning around and sinking in his chair while pouring himself a goblet of wine  
"Xa, what the fudge sticks are you doing there?" asked Nix as she walked up  
"SHHHH!" she hissed back motioning to her ear. The universal symbol for eavesdropping  
"Sorry!" Nix said instantly getting the picture  
"What was that about?" Nix asked as they walked back to Xana's room  
"Thranduil has one of the Silmaril Jewels. 'Las, you said in your last letter that there was a new dark power in Mirkwood..." Xana said starting to look worried  
"Yeah, so?" asked the confused prince  
"Melkor or what's his face is according to dad 'stopping at nothing to get it back!'" Xana said as she paced the room  
"Is that bad?" asked Nix  
"Very. If Melkor gets his hands on the Silmaril jewels again, it could be the end of Adra." Legolas replied instantly paling as he too started to pace  
"Yo! This a private pace session or can we join too?" asked Elladan as he and his twin stuck their heads around the door frame  
"No, its open to siblings and not fathers that don't know that I've been eavesdropping on them" Xana said motioning for them to come in and shut the door  
"So what's the topic?" asked Elrohir sitting on the desk next to his brother  
"The Silmaril jewel. Father has found one of them and there is also a new evil in Mirkwood." Legolas said catching the twins up  
"Oh," said one only to have the other finish the sentence for him  
"SHIT!"  
"Do we know where the other two are?" asked Elladan  
"No, they hadn't discussed that when we were eavesdropping" Xana said  
"We'll alert Aragorn, he needs to know about this. If elven mythology has any truth in it, Minas Tirith will be one of the places it could be in." Elrohir said as he and his brother left to write to Aragorn  
"In every legend there is a grain of truth." Xana said remembering some of her books from home  
"Legolas, where could the other be?" asked Nix looking at the prince  
"The Shire. They were according to myth sent in opposite ways under very different powers. To keep them separated was considered safe." Legolas continued  
"I'll write to Crystal and Courtney. They need to know. Merry, Frodo, Sam and Pippin between them oh! And Bilbo, they should have enough influence and knowledge between them to find if it is there or not!" Xana said pulling out paper and a quill and started to write  
"And I'll tell Miki. She also should be able to pull enough power and influence in Minas Tirith to find enough records." Added Nix as she ran to her room  
"And I guess that I'll go shooting with Haldir, Orophin and Rumil." Said Legolas leaving the room  
"Love you Legolas!" said Xana as she kissed his cheek before he left  
"I love you too Xanabell!" he replied as he left the room


	2. Concerning the Hobbits

Chapter 2: Concerning the Hobbits  
Disclaimer: I still own nothing

Crystal looked up from where she was weeding in the garden of Bag-End and walked over to the fence to see Courtney running over Bywater Bridge and up Bagshot row with two letters in her hand  
"Crystal! Crystal!" she yelled as she arrived at the gate  
"Yo, Court, what you want?" Crystal asked confused at her friend's behaviour. Courtney had calmed down since they arrived in Middle Earth  
"I just got a letter from Xana! Shit's about to hit the fan!" Courtney huffed as she caught her breath. Crystal at this time had been running a hand through her hair, noticing that the blue was almost gone again, it wasn't a big problem, she, Sam and Frodo had found herbs and minerals that could be ground down to make the blue dye that she wanted. Even Merry had lent a hand providing his knowledge of the colour combinations  
"What?" asked Crystal looking up suddenly  
"I said that Xana wrote that and I quote 'Shit's about to hit the fan'. Would you listen for once in your life girl!" Courtney sighed angrily as she repeated what she had said before  
"Come on in then! This can't be discussed outside!" Crystal hissed as she swung the gate open quickly and motioned for Courtney to follow her inside  
"Crystal is that you?" asked Frodo as he walked out from around the corner of the parlour. The Sackville-Baggins' had tried to take the house from him while they were away. Frodo and Bilbo had been taking an inventory of what there was in all the rooms. On top of that Crystal had also made a point of cleaning up the rooms as they finished them. She hated the stray bits of paper strewn all over the floor. They had found a trapdoor that Bilbo had forgotten about, multiple silver spoons that the Sackville-Baggins' had supposedly stolen and that was just the kitchen and dining room  
"Get Bilbo. We need to hear this." She said as she sent Frodo on his way after giving him a quick kiss  
"I'll be right back." He said before he sprinted out the door to find his uncle  
"Right, read the god damned letter." Crystal said as she sat down in a chair across from Courtney  
"Ok, here goes...  
_Dearest Courtney and Crystal,  
So, to be short with you, I haven't written to you short lot for some-time. Sorry! I was busy learning how to read elvish and shit... according to dad my elvish reading/writing skills are equal to those of a 50 year old._

_Anyway, to the point. A party arrived from Mirkwood today and I have discovered that His Royal Drunkenness asshole, The One and Only King Thranduil has decided that no matter what he says to Legolas, he can't keep his son from loving me! SCORE! And has called a truce between us. DOUBLE SCORE!_

_And most importantly, I have found out that my eavesdropping skills are better than ever before! _

_When Legolas and I were dismissed, we ran out of the room and stood outside the study, I was on Legolas' shoulders as we listened to what our fathers were saying.  
It turns out that king Thranduil has found one of the Silmaril jewels. These jewels contain all the light of the trees in Valinor- like they're SUPER MEGA IMPORTANT!  
Anyway, in every legend there is a grain of truth, so can you guys use your awesome hobbitish awesomeness and find out if one of the jewels in The Shire? That would be a huge help. _

_I hope to see you lot soon!  
Xanabell_'

That's it." Finished Courtney looking up from the letter  
"Right, let's find this damned jewel and be back in time for my wedding." Said Crystal running out into the hall and grabbed her sword and a hat before dragging Courtney out the door to see if they could find it.  
LINEBREAK  
By the time Frodo had gathered the male hobbits, and read the letter all of them were thoroughly concerned about there being an evil weapon in their lovely Shire. Bilbo and Frodo had taken to their books to see if anything about the whereabouts of the jewels were mentioned, while Merry and Pippin joined the girls on their searches. Sam, who had recently married Rosie Cotton was not involved in the search or study but was kept in the loop by Frodo's letters. He too was also very concerned about this.


	3. Miki gets pissed at Faramir who gets hit

Chapter 3: Miki gets pissed at Faramir. And then hits him  
Disclaimer: Own nothing  
R&R

As Miki wandered the castle in Minas Tirith she thought about her friends. Xana had sent her a letter from Rivendell saying that everything was fine, Elladan and Elrohir were being kindish and her room had been proclaimed epic by Nix.

She was by herself at the moment. Boromir was in Osgiliath, helping the reconstruction of the city, mostly providing the brute muscle for moving the white marble and providing security as well as they found men for the garrison.

As she walked she thought about what she had learned down in the records of Minas Tirith. She had read as much as she could. Faramir and Aragorn had brought her food when she had decided to stay down there. Boromir had on one occasion dragged her back up and made her sleep in her room for the night when she had been down there for little over three days.

She got on well with Faramir. He was studious. The perfect choice for the steward, on many occasions Éowyn had dragged him out from his study and out into the city for some fun. However, today was an exception to that rule. Faramir had been reading a letter that Aragorn had given him, apparently it was from Rivendell. When she had tried to see what was on the letter they both used their height advantage over her and held the letter over her head. After Aragorn left the room, Faramir left the letter on his desk as he tended to other business  
"Goddamnit Faramir! Why can't I look at the damned letter?!" Miki exclaimed as she sat in the chair opposite the desk  
"It wasn't addressed to you Lady Mikeala." He replied simply  
"And the fact that I'm essentially your sister-in-law doesn't? And stop calling me Lady Mikeala." she asked raising an eyebrow  
"Look, Mikeala, if I could show you the letter then what do you think I would have done? It wasn't addressed to you, and at the moment you aren't my sister-in-law, so you aren't technically my family. I won't even show Boromir this because it's that important, and he usually reads my mail before I do!" Faramir snapped at the witch sitting opposite him  
"YOU BASTARD!" she yelled standing up quickly as she reached for her concealed knife  
"REALLY? I WASN'T THE ONE WHO LANDED IN MIDDLE EARTH! YOU MIKEALA ARE THE OUTSIDER WHO DOESN'T BELONG! I DON'T KNOW WHAT BOROMIR SEES IN YOU!" he yelled back at her as he moved to the front of the desk  
"You'll pay for that!" she hissed as she realised that her knife was in her room. As a substitute she punched him square in the nose. He was going to pay dearly._ I really want to go home_. _We have equality rules there_! She thought as she ran back to her room leaving Faramir holding his nose, blood running down his hands.

* * *

Miki stayed in her room for the remainder of the week until Boromir returned and managed to persuade her to remove the mini barricade she had set up  
"Tell me what happened" he said softly as he rebound her wrist as they sat on her bed  
"You know where I come from, we have laws that state that women are equal to men. I asked Faramir if I could see the letter. He said no. I asked why and he said it's because it's super important. It came from Rivendell for god's sake Boromir! Xana and Nix live there now! What if they had some input to the letter or put something in there for me to help you lot with?" she asked as she cried into his shoulder  
"Shhhh, hey, it'll be okay. I'll talk to him and we'll get through this. I might even snatch the letter from his desk." Boromir said as he kissed her head gently before he left to give his report to Faramir and Aragorn. And then asking his brother what the hell had gotten into him.

Boromir was sure that it had something to do with the crystal he was always wearing around his neck all the time now. He was moodier than usual. Something Faramir was certainly not, normally.


	4. A light in the dark

Chapter 4: A light in the Dark  
Disclaimer: Own nothing

Crystal curled up against Frodo as she looked at the dresses Courtney had drawn for her a week before. She wanted something simple and elegant whereas Courtney wanted her to have something with a bit of flare to it. Frodo had remained neutral in the discussion and said that he was happy with whatever Crystal chose.

"Are you sure that Aragorn will be able to come?" asked Crystal as she put down the drawings on the clean coffee table and picked up the tea Frodo had made for her which was now cold  
"If I know Strider, he'll as you would put it 'move heaven and earth' to be there. And remember, Boromir and Miki will want to come as well." He said as he finished addressing a letter to Éomer warning him to watch out for stray jewels that caused people to have mood swings before moving his arm behind Crystal's shoulders, kissing her hair gently where a magpie had swooped her earlier that day when they were out in The Shire looking for the Jewels. Merry and Pippin had thrown stones at it to scare it off, which worked  
"What are you thinking?" he asked after a few moments like this  
"About what?" Crystal replied looking up and pushing his hair- which was going to be cut before the wedding-weather Sam did it with hedge trimmers or she did it with Sting, either way it was going to happen  
"Right now." Frodo replied looking down at her smiling because he knew she was contemplating what was the best way to cut his hair  
"Nothing interesting." She replied sipping the tea  
"Elaborate" Frodo said still smiling  
"You know, what to wear to the wedding, how my hair should done, all the girly stuff that Courtney, Diamond and Rosie will probably do for me." Crystal said putting the tea down "What about you?" she said standing up to face him  
"You. When we were in the Crack of Doom, I swear I got a vision from Galadriel just before I put the Ring on." He said staring into the fire  
"What was it about. Xana's starting to get them. That and the weird mirror thingy her gran left her." Crystal said as she moved the drawings away from where she was going to sit down on the now visible coffee table. When she had arrived it had been buried under three foot of what Crystal called rubbish. In Bilbo and Frodo's minds it was called papers. That had got her smiling when they tried to stop her from cleaning up the place  
"It was you. And me," he said suddenly looking her directly in the eye "I don't it was the full version of what she wanted me to see but it got the point across that it had to be destroyed. The first snippet was what would happen if I kept the Ring, there was a pack of Orcs that I had sent to kill you, Sam, Merry and Pippin and enslave the rest of the Shire hobbits. The Shire was bunt brown. There were no trees and it was a barren waste land.

The elves, Xana, Legolas, Nix, Haldir, Elrond and everyone else were quickly killed. The Dûnedain managed to hold back some of the onslaught. Miki, Faramir and Éowyn managed to hold Minas Tirith and Rohan for three days. Both Xana and Miki were killed when they were caught and tortured before they were killed in front of their families. Xana walk out to the execution block with her head held high, she smiled at Legolas as they cut her head off. Legolas somehow managed to break away from the twins and Aragorn and Haldir he was shot with his own arrow. Nix collapsed, Elrond faded on the spot. There was a huge fireball in the shape of a phoenix that left Xana's body and then Miki was killed after her. Boromir was forced to watch it and he ripped the arrow out of Legolas' body and stabbed himself with it.

Aragorn was hanged and his body was left to rot until the very end of time. Éowyn and Faramir were poisoned. Éomer had been killed in the attack on the Black Gate. The twins soon faded after their sister's death. Anyone else that was left was sent to work in the mines.

It took the darkness longer to reach the Shire, where you, Merry and Pippin and Sam managed to set up a rebellion, you were like the elf from Eregorn." He said before pulling her tight when he saw the tears streaming down her face at the description before realising that he too was crying  
"Please tell me there was a happier one…" Crystal managed to sob out  
"There was. We were sitting in the garden on the bench with Merry, Pippin, Sam and Courtney, Diamond and Rosie and there were children running around. One of them turned around and looked me in the eye and it reminded me soo much of you. The hair, the eyes but it had my nose and skin colouring. Anyway, we were all laughing and everyone except you had a glass of ale in their hand but you had water and were looking slightly more… how do I say what I want and not sound horrible…?" he pondered before Crystal interjected  
"Say it. Whatever it is you want to say, I'm pretty sure that I'll be able to handle it." She said holding his hand for support. This was the first time he was talking about Mt Doom and she wasn't going to pass up the opportunity to hear his thoughts  
"Okay then. Like we were expecting a child. That's when your face stood out from the rest of the ash and stuff up there. I knew Sam was there, but you stood out. And that's when I knew you weren't going to leave me. That you were the one and my light in the dark." He finished gently kissing her  
"YUCK! Merry, it's just as bad as you and Courtney in here!" came Pippin's very distinct voice from the doorway  
"She and I aren't that bad" Merry said as he put his Lorién cloak on the pegs near the front door  
"Yes you were! You two couldn't keep your hands off each other!" Pippin exclaimed as he walked through to the kitchen and poured himself a glass of ale and one for Merry as well  
"No, we weren't" he Hissed as he sat down before looking at the dresses Courtney had drawn for Crystal. "This one's my favourite" he said holding up one of them. It was a simple design but had a complex lace layer  
"Well if you hurry up and propose to her then she can wear it for you!" Pippin said as he handed his cousin a mug before sitting down next to him on the clean couch  
"Why must you two insist on staying at my house after you get thrown out of the Green Dragon?" Frodo asked glaring at them with his arm around Crystal's shoulders  
"It wasn't my fault! Pippin exclaimed throwing both hand sin the air in frustration  
"Yes, it was!" Merry hissed "Because I wasn't the one bragging about the time that you managed to get the better of Ara-King Elessar and Boromir… Then I wasn't the one that started to fight" he added as an afterthought as he took a sip of his drink glaring over the top of the rim at his cousin  
"But it was a fair fight! Nice and fair." Pippin said quickly looking at the shocked faces around him  
"It doesn't count as fair when I'm the only one backing you up! Merry said angrily  
"Sam was there! And it wasn't my fault that he wasn't quick enough to move when the pumpkin was coming his way!" Pippin said glaring back at Merry  
"And I assume that it wasn't your fault either when you smashed a table when you were thrown back." Merry said sarcastically  
"There was a fight at the Dragon?" Crystal said looking shocked  
"Only a small one, nothing like those we took part in" Pippin replied  
"Is Sam okay?" asked Frodo, worried for his friend's health  
"Yeah, he's fine. Rosie, Courtney and Diamond are looking after him in the back room of the tavern." Merry said trying to comfort his other cousin  
"I thought that's where Courtney would be because I saw her walking there with you." Crystal said as she got up to leave the room to find a blanket or something to keep her warm. In the end, she couldn't be bothered to walk all the way to her bedroom and most likely disturbing Bilbo on the way and settled for one of Frodo's jackets that was lying, conveniently, on his bed. It dwarfed her frame nut nothing she wasn't used to. If everything seemed big before, they were massive now.

When she arrived back, she saw Frodo saying Goodbye to his cousins before he came back into the house  
"They're going to help Rosie take Sam back home because they caused the fight." He said as he shut the green door that they had painted yesterday, before quirking an eyebrow at his jacket that she was wearing  
"Bilbo's asleep and it was too long a walk to my room so I saw this on your bed and I grabbed it" she explained as they sat back down on the lounge in the lounge room  
"So is it safe to assume that I'll probably have to carry you to your room tonight?" he asked  
"Most likely" Crystal yawned before noticing two keys in his pants pocket " What are those?" she asked pointing at them  
"Oh! I confiscated Merry and Pippin's keys to Bag End so they don't invite themselves in at any time." He said giving her a quick side hug and kiss before leaving to clean up the ale jugs Merry and Pippin had left.

As he walked into the kitchen he noticed Crystal walking in behind him and grabbing the tea towel and putting her own cup in the sink before drying and putting away the mug he had already washed.  
_My little light in the dark_ he mused silently as he continued washing the jugs

* * *

It must have been close to 10:00 when Crystal fell asleep on the couch with one of the drawings on the table bearing the two ticks of approval sitting on the coffee table when Frodo came out of the bathroom in his pyjamas and dressing gown when he saw his fiancée curled up on the couch looking like she did when they were on their way to mount Doom  
"Hey, Edward Cullen…. Stop looking at me and musing at how pretty I am and carry me to bed" she said causing Frodo to smile at the fact that she knew that he was watching her. Walking over, he picked her up bridal style and carried her to her room  
"You know," he started before he pulled the covers back on her bed "you're going to have to tell me who this Cullen person I. I'm worried that I'm going to have to compete with someone I don't know." He said as he lay her down on the bed and kissed her goodnight before pulling the covers up  
"Trust me… he isn't real and there's nothing to compete with." She mumbled as she kissed him back and fell completely in to the darkness of sleep and didn't even hear him leave the room.

Okay guys!  
Time for you guys to guess who has the jewels. There are only three of them. It took me a long time to decide who would have them so. Take a guess in your review!

On a happier note, guess where I've been. The hint for that is in Chapter 2 and is also the name of the Shire theme, an entire chapter in the Hobbit and the Lord of The Rings BOOKS! If anyone guesses correctly, I will defiantly post chapter 5 quicker than this one!

Yours in epic hobbitness-_This is a hint!_  
}{anabell


	5. Xana and Nix meet the King's moose

Chapter 5: Xana and Nix meet the king's Moose  
Disclaimer: Own nothing  
R&R

Thranduil and Legolas were preparing to leave Rivendell after his royal pain in the behind had decided to call the council. On one condition- that it was held in Mirkwood.

Xana was busy literally throwing a few dresses, a lot of pants and top combinations into a bag, hoping she could follow the Mirkwood party. As she rounded a corner she ran headlong into Nix, who was also carrying a bag, as well as both their weapons  
"I figured that you'd want to go after them. Give Rivendell a little time to recover." Nix said as she handed her friend her bow and quiver before they raced down to the stables to get their horses ready. The stable master had said that they were to be groomed before they were taken out for rides and that he would make sure that they were groomed well  
"Miladies, make sure that they're well exercised and groomed. If you don't do that then lord Elrond will be hearing about it!" yelled the stable master  
"Yes sir!" they called back as they started picking out the hooves  
Thranduil was flanked by Legolas and Elrond as he entered the stable. Everyone stood up and bowed to the Woodland king as he strode through the stable towards the large box at the end of the stable complex. The cream coloured walls were freshly scrubbed and painted as part of the celebrations of the destruction of Sauron and the One Ring. As he walked into the stall, he noticed Legolas hesitate before entering after him. He had guessed of a long time that his son disliked the moose  
"**Father, why must we leave so soon, we only just got here**" he said as he passed his father a brush before ducking out of the way as the moose turned its head towards him  
"**Because son, I will only tolerate that girlfriend of yours. There's something about her that I don't like…**" the Elvenking said as he brushed the fur on the giant animal  
"**Let me help you then. It's because she's of dominant Noldor heritage. Tauriel is a Sivilan Wood elf and you still accepted her into the family. If anything Xana is more Sindar than you think!**" Legolas hissed as he walked out of the stall to get Arod ready for the long trip  
_Stupid father, why you can't just accept that I love her and that she's my soulmate?_ He thought as he brushed Arod  
"**XANABELL!**" yelled Elrond as he say his youngest lead out the 14.2 hand high pony (A/N:1hand =4 inches) out of the stall and over to the tack room to get her saddle  
"Yo dad! What'sup?!" she called back as she put a small tent over the back of the saddle and looked at her father who was striding over to her, anger replacing his usual calm demeanour  
"**What in Eru's name are you doing?**" he said dragging her away from her horse and into a secluded corner in an attempt to hid the confrontation  
"Well, Nix and I are 'going on an adventure!'" she said laughing at her own joke  
"**You are not to follow them do you understand?**" Elrond hissed as he pulled the saddle from her hands and moving to put it back on the rack as Thranduil walked into the tack room to retrieve the moose's bridal before noticing the confrontation  
"**Is there anything wrong here?**" he asked innocently, swinging the reins around, like what he would do with a goblet of wine  
"**No, Your Highness, there is nothing wrong that concerns you. My daughter and I are only having a small argument about where she should go riding today…**" Elrond said bowing to the King as he turned to face him, Xana quickly turned around and grabbed her saddle again and walked out to finish saddling Beauty  
"**Well, it seems that her Ladyship is very strong willed, and will most likely do whatever she wants to. Just like Elladan, Elrohir, Aragorn, my son and Arwen. She also reminds me soo much of**" Thranduil started before being cut off by Elrond glaring at him, his startling grey eyes clearly telling him that he had gone too far by almost bringing his strong willed wife into the conversation  
"**Never bring up Celebraín like that again, Thranduil. I still grieve for her.**" Elrond said looking over lovingly at his daughter who had almost finished saddling her horse and was trying to get the girth to do up tighter. Legolas who had seen the struggle walked over to her and handed her the brush he had been using on Arod before hitching up the girth and handing her back the reins  
"**I apologise, my friend. I did not mean to bring up any hard memories of her.**" Thranduil replied trying to support his friend  
"**Don't let them follow you. Do you understand?**" Elrond said sharply, knowing full well that that's what Xana and Nix were planning on doing  
"**That's why I came over. Would you like for me to include them in the Party? I know that both of them will be coming to the council with you and from what Legolas tells me, they are quite like the twins and Estel and my son. It would make it easier for you to travel with only one set of pranksters, wouldn't it?**" the Elvenking said smiling over at his son, who he was sure would never find his soul-mate like he had with his mother. Although, he would be thankful if they didn't show their affection for each other in public. Especially kissing each other- he was pretty sure that there was possibly tongue involved, mostly on his son's account. After a few moments of thinking, Elrond finally nodded his head  
"**Fine. If she or Nix misbehave in any way, shape or form then you send them back immediately. Do you understand?**" he said looking at the taller elf  
"**Of course. But, you see, my son is the one going to get them into trouble.**" Thranduil replied smiling at his son who was getting Xana to hold Arod while he adjusted his pack on the horse's back  
"**And that's the reason why I'm also sending Haldir with them. He will keep them out of trouble.**" Elrond said as he say his head of Guard approach the stables with his own pack and equipment ready for the journey  
"**Then who is taking his place as head of the Guard? Surely not Orophin!**" Thranduil exclaimed as he and the lord walked to the moose's loose box to finish getting ready for the ride  
"**Don't put it past Orophin or Rumil to lead the March if Haldir is away or injured. They both have done it before.**" Elrond replied as he stood on the outside of the stall as Thranduil mounted up  
"**I'm just saying from reports that I've read, when something went wrong in the March, it was usually when they were left in charge.**" Thranduil stated as he motioned for Elrond to open the door leading into the main corridor of the stable

* * *

"Yo Nix, is that a moose?" called Xana as she and Legolas finally stopped kissing long enough to register the fact that it was time to go  
"I think it is, Xana. I think it is…" Nix replied looking over Nessa-Pia's back and saddle to see the Elven-king ride out on a huge moose "and if it is then I'm not believing it!" she added as an afterthought  
"'Las, does your father really ride a moose and if so, why the hell didn't we see it when the party arrived in Rivendell?" asked Xana looking confused  
"Father and lord Elrond arranged for a horse to meet us in the forest and his moose to be brought into the stable at night, so it wouldn't cause a large disturbance. Although, I think that he is regretting wanting to bring it into Rivendell, judging from the disturbance he has just caused" Legolas said side-hugging Xana before leaving to mount Arod and start the long journey home  
"Haldir! OMG! You're coming too?!" yelled Nix as she ran over to Haldir, who was saddling his own horse. Like Nessa-Pia, Gil-gad was a tall, grey (white) horse, who was a little older than Nix's own horse. Gil-gad, however, was not female, but a grown stallion (Male horse), something Haldir had neglected to mention when Xana tried to ride him one time. Nix had often commented that he did move like a shooting star when Haldir was out working him  
"Yes indeed, Nix, I am coming to keep the two of… Xana may I ask what you find so funny?" the head of the Guard said quirking an eyebrow at Xana's reaction to the sentence  
"You said 'you're coming'!" she exclaimed before she mounted Beauty and rode out to the courtyard  
"I don't understand what Xana meant." Haldir said looking at Nix for an explanation  
"Don't you worry your little blonde head about it." She said kissing his cheek before mounting up as well

* * *

"'Las," called Xana as she trotted out of the stable complex into the light of the courtyard  
"Yes, 'Bell?" he replied looking innocent to the fact that Elladan had just told him that she hated being called that  
"'Dan, you better hope that I do NOT find you!" she yelled drawing her bow and spinning Beauty around with leg prompts in an attempt to find her pain in the arse brother. Elrohir never called her 'Bell' and on many an occasion she had sat everyone down in the Fire hall in Rivendell to explain the fact that her nickname was either 'Xa' or 'Xana' NEVER 'Bell' or 'Anya (Russian nickname for Anna)', Elladan, however had taken to calling her both. Whenever he did he usually ended with a wound of some sort, whether it be from an arrow or a sword puncture wound. Once she had even thrown a paper knife at him  
"Sorry, Xa. I couldn't resist seeing how you would react to being called that." Legolas explained as he apologised to his girlfriend. Looking over the back of her saddle he saw a large, black case strapped on, pointing he asked "What's that?"  
"Oh, this?" Xana said pointing to the Violin case behind her "It's my violin. Mum sent it across from Valinor. I memorised most of my music so she didn't bother to send over that. But if I forget how something goes 'Finn messed around with my I-Pod so that it charges on light." She explained holding up the device and playing a song. Unfortunately for Legolas and Arod, it was 'Good Night' by Reece Mastin and it was turned up the whole way. When it started playing it sent Arod running and Legolas falling off  
"Xana, what is that?" he asked as he stood up and rubbed his backside after dusting himself off watching his girlfriend singing along with the song while trying not to laugh at him  
"Rock music!" she yelled as she stopped the music and grabbed Arod's reins for Legolas, who was trying to keep what little dignity he had  
"No Xana! Rock music is when you bang two rocks together!" yelled Nix as she emerged from the stables  
"Don't worry, that's only one genre. Some of them are really nice. I only got that for a music assessment and it grew on me" Xana explained after Legolas remounted  
"Are we ready to depart?" as Thranduil as he walked out on his moose  
"Yes father, I think we are." Legolas replied looking at his father  
"Then let's be off. It's a long way to Mirkwood." The King answered before walking out of the gate. Elrond met them at the gate to wish them off and say goodbye to his daughter, but after that they quickly learnt that Nix could only canter after she fell off Nessa-Pia as she attempted to gallop. It was going to be a long week to get to Mirkwood.


	6. Travelling with the MIrkwood Party

Chapter 6: Traveling with the Mirkwood Party  
Disclaimer: Only borrowing Tolkien's characters. But I have photo evidence that the Shire does exist!  
**This means that an elf is speaking in Sivilan**  
R&R

Xana and Legolas were walking through the forest collecting some wood for the fire. The Guard from Mirkwood refused to let Xana light the fire with wet wood, although she had said that she could light anything, even if it was wet. As they walked, Xana carrying the same amount as Legolas, she asked  
"**How old are you Legolas?**"  
"**Older than you, Xanabell**" the prince replied, semi-surprised that she had chosen to use elfish to ask him that  
"**Yeah, that much I figured. But how old, exactly are you.**" Xana rephrased hoping for a better answer than the last  
"**Our mothers sailed on the same ship, which was 423-ish years ago, so, damn you Xana! You make me feel old!**" he yelled looking at her, trying to be serious but his currently hazel eyes said otherwise  
"**Give me a number**" she insisted  
"**I was about 455 then, so I'm 910 years old now!**" he replied getting up and tickling her causing her to laugh so hard that she dropped the wood that she had precariously stacked up  
"'Las. 'Las! Stop, please stop, nononononono!" she laughed as he spun them around. After a quick few spins he got dizzy and they both fell on the ground, covered in leaves, still laughing when Thranduil walked to where they were and looked at them  
"**Is everything alright?**" he asked looking at the way they were positioned  
"**Yes dad, I just tickled Xana and swinging us around before I got dizzy and fell.**" Legolas explained as Xana tried to sit up next to him, when they had fallen the hem of her silvery, sky blue dress had landed underneath Legolas' body, causing her to fall back down in a renewed fit of laughter  
"**I'm sorry, King Thranduil about the noise. We were told that you were sleeping…**" Xana started before the king held up a hand to silence her, before offering them both a hand in getting up, Legolas first  
"**Let's get back to camp. It's going to be a long few days.**" He said as they walked back to camp

* * *

A little later in the evening, one of the guards noticed the black case that Xana was sitting near around the fire that she had lit, even out doing the guard members  
"**Excuse me Lady Xanabell of Rivendell, may I enquire to what is in that case you are sitting next to?**" asked the elf, hoping that she could understand Sivilan  
"**This is my instrument, it's called a violin. I've played it for 13 human years when I lived I Valinor, my mother, Celebraín, sent it over after the War of The Ring**" she explained as she produced it from its case and looked at Nix as if asking what she should play for them  
"How about that horsey theme that you love?" Nix suggested knowing that Xana would understand that she meant the Rohan theme from the music book that she had bought for her birthday  
"Of course!" Xana yelled as she started playing the well-known theme from her world. As she played she remembered running and riding across the plains of Rohan, learning about the different verbs in elfish that Legolas had insisted on her learning, the fight in the Golden Hall before Théoden's throne, the battle at Helm's Deep, including her almost dying after being hit in the back by an Uruk-hai sword. Elrond had healed the nasty, red scar that had been on her back when he arrived in Minas Tirith. He hadn't healed it at Dunharrow because he didn't know that it was there. Xana had been wearing a new set of hunting clothes and her Lorién cloak  
"**That is a very nice piece, you ladyship.**" The guard replied after she had finished it everyone had been enchanted by the music. After a while the guards insisted on hearing their version of what happened during the war of the Ring. It was obvious that Legolas had told them some things upon his arrival home, but he had spared a few of the gory details that Nix and Xana gave quickly. The members of the party couldn't believe that she had a faint scar across the small of her back  
"**I can't believe that an elf can be scared**" one said in disbelief  
"**For those of you who don't believe me, I'll show you the scars I got when I was younger and exploring Valinor.**" She said as she lifted her dress to her knee revealing little pricks in her skin "**I got these helping Erestor and Glorfindel fence the place that we lived in, so the stock couldn't get in. the pricks were caused by something called barbed wire, if you don't believe me , ask Legolas. He got caught in it when he as helping put lil' Beauty in her yard at night. Show them 'Las.**" Xana said looking at Legolas to roll up he pants legs, revealing fainter scars that were almost invisible to the naked elven eye  
"**Son, what happened?**" Thranduil asked looking horrified at the sight  
"**Father, it is nothing. I didn't see the barbs and I got caught in it. When I tried to use the spider web escape technique to get out of it, it cut my leggings, it caused me to panic and get myself tangled further in it.**

** Xana was a way behind me, trying to catch up, yelling at me to stop panicking and breathe, as she grabbed the wire cutters which sort of acts like a sword or knife. I wasn't that cooperative, but I was worried about what in Middle Earth had got my legs. She had to cut the fence back to the posts on either side of where I was caught. After she dropped the fence she set on untangling my legs, we were almost finished; she had to take my boots of to get the wire over my feet, I was told to count the stars while she did this in the dark. **

**When she got one of my feet out she noticed that the blood was seeping through the fabric and some was running down to my foot. She lifted the leggings and looked at my ankles, which she didn't let me see, she tore some of her shirt and bound them. Xana then brought Beauty over and told her to sit so I could get on.**

** When she got to the house she tied Beauty up outside and shouldered me into the house. When she got in, Estel and the others raced over to see what was the matter with me. Somehow Nix got a look at Xana's shirt tatters and my ankles and just raced to the bathroom and grabbed the medicine kit and handed it to Xana and Estel. Xana had explained the situation to him. Between the both of them they bound and cleaned my ankles. I wasn't allowed to walk around the house to give them some time to heal. My left ankle was worse, but now you can hardly tell that there's scaring there. Xana I apologise for ruining the fence again.**" Legolas said as he followed his father into their tent  
"**You let a person who is not trained in healing heal your ankles. Son, she could have killed you.**" Thranduil said pouring a goblet of wine for himself  
"**Father, I knew Xana wasn't like that. Especially since she cut me out of the fence herself and didn't leave me to wait as she went and found someone to help her. And considering that it was dark and she was then human, without a light source might I add, used mostly her other senses to help me out of there, I think she did well. When she was binding my ankles in the house she showed me her own scars from assisting with helping to create the fence. Father, that's when I knew that she was the one. Please, listen, she is… the one I want to spend forever with…**" Legolas finished softly  
"Really?" Thranduil said looking over at his son, and saw the loving and longing in his eyes which were hazel, his mother's eye colour. Seeing his son like that, hands covering his face, looking lost, broke his heart. The position reminded him of what he was like when his wife decided to sail from this world, except their positions were reversed "Son, your mother said just before she left that your other half would not be from this world, but yet of it. It made absolutely no sense at the time but now I see what she meant. When Elrond arrives from Rivendell to attend the council, ask him for his blessing to marry her. I would have liked to wait until you were 1000, the pressure that I placed upon you was unfair, I wished that in the event that you died during the fellowship that there would be someone at home as the princess to take the throne when I sailed, but I think that I'll be here for a little while longer." Said the Elvenking as he hugged his son. It was the first hug he had had from his son since his mother sailed. It made him feel whole again, knowing that his son did love him, and was confused about the future.

Legolas had known for a long time that Thranduil would sail to reunite with his mother, and that he'd be forced to be the king of Mirkwood. Something he knew he could not escape from.

He always wore the Hunter style clothes that his mother insisted that he have, around the halls, in public, everywhere. Thranduil used to have to force him to wear right clothes for a party or an official ceremony. Once he had been out camping and had forgotten about the ceremony the next day. He had returned to the palace a complete mess to find out that the ceremony was starting very soon. Knowing that elven delegates from around Middle Earth he had rushed to the throne room and literally arrived just as it started. He was only 410 then and very immature. When he had arrived into the room he had dried mud and blood on his clothes and face and his braids were falling out in some places. As Thranduil had spoken he quickly took them all out and just left them out for the ceremony. He had been grounded for the entire month.

As he got older, he got better at hiding the fact that he had just returned from camping with Aragorn only due to the fact that if Elrond knew that the child was missing he would chuck a fit. That and he had often taken the right clothes and his crown with him in a separate bag that would hang up from a tree at night.

What broke the moment was Xana's violin playing a bubbly tune that Nix was singing along to  
"Double, Double, toil and Trouble, fire burn cauldron bubble! Xa, I forget the rest of the song!" she sang causing Xana to laugh and forget where she was up to. That was when they decided that it was time to put the violin away and sleep.

* * *

The journey to Mirkwood continued like this until Xana was forced to play some of the classical music that she knew, some were dances and others were concertos that Thranduil seemed to like. She played a medley of _How to train your Dragon_, which they all seemed to like.

Five days after they had left Rivendell, the group arrived at the forest gate heavily guarded by well camouflaged elves of the Mirkwood guard. Legolas leaned over to Xana, who was taken aback by the sight of the gate, to see how she was faring  
"You okay, Xana?" he asked as they rode underneath the gate  
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just amazed at how cool this place is, I mean look at the front gate! It's so ornate and inviting yet at the same time it's a warning." She replied looking back at the moss covered gate  
"Father wanted to make an impression upon your first visit. Something he's very good at." The prince replied before looking around to see how far behind Nix and Haldir were. When he spotted them he saw that Nix was asleep and Haldir had moved her across onto Gil-gad and was leading Nessa-Pia as well  
"'Las," Xana started in a small voice that he had never heard her use before  
"Yes, is there something wrong?" he replied hoping that he had guessed the emotion that the voice was portraying correctly  
"Yes, there is. Do you know who usually leads this patrol and if they have a strong dislike for Noldor elves?" she asked still scared about the leader of the patrol, which made him smile visibly before he started laughing at the statement. "So, the leader doesn't like Noldor elves?" Xana gathered from his reaction to her question  
"No, of course he does. The leader of this patrol is dating a Noldor lady from Rivendell" he replied through his fit of giggles  
"Well, who is he?" she pestered  
"**Legolas! You have returned, my captain!**" yelled one of the elves as he jumped out of a tree to greet the prince, who immediately dismounted to greet his friend  
"**Yes, I have returned Ellon. My friend may I have the pleasure of introducing this young Elleth here, Lady Xanabell, Daughter of Elrond Half-elven, Lord of Rivendell. Xana this is my friend Ellon son of El-gad.**" Legolas said as he helped Xana down from Beauty's back  
"**It's a pleasure to finally meet you Lady Xanabell. My captain has spoken so highly of you.**" Ellon said as he bowed to her  
"**Oh, please, you don't have to bow to me. And you don't have to call me Lady Xanabell, Xana's just fine.**" She said offering her hand which he took and kissed gently  
"**C'mon, you silver tongued romancer. She's taken**" Legolas said dragging his friend away and back to the main patrol station. When he returned he had found another elf to introduce her to  
"**Xana, this is Tauriel. Tauriel, this is my girlfriend Xanabell of Rivendell**" Legolas said standing between the two Elves  
"**So, you're the one that's captured the Prince's heart? I've heard so much about you.**" She said looking at Xana, assessing her as if to see if she was worthy enough to date her friend  
"**And I you**" Xana replied taking into account the fact that a Sivilan elf could have hair colour other than platinum blonde like Haldir and his brothers. As the red headed elf stopped circling her she noticed that she instantly moved over to the king to greet him  
"**Ellon called you captain. Do you lead another patrol or is it because you used to lead one with him in it?**" Xana asked as they sat down for a bit while the party restocked on some supplies for the remainder of the journey  
"**Of course he called me captain, I lead this patrol. Ellon is my third in command. And don't worry about Tauriel, she warms up to people eventually. She's just always been a little cold to people when she first meets them.**" Legolas explained as he hugged Xana, who was surprised that he was the captain of the patrol  
"**And is from what I see, forgive me if I'm wrong, but is Tauriel having something going on with your father?**" she asked looking Legolas' face to see if she was correct  
"**Yeah, she is.**" He said softly not wanting Thranduil to overhear  
"**God that must be awkward having to be in the same patrol as her.**" Xana said pulling a face of disgust "**Your father shouldn't have a fling with your best friend. Even if we are elves. Just, no. It shouldn't happen**" She decreed kissing him on the cheek before she went to remount and prepare to arrive at the Halls of King Thranduil  
"**You don't know the half of it**" Legolas replied as he walked over to Arod and remounted before they waited for the all clear to continue into the dark of Mirkwood.

As they rode everyone seemed to be on edge waiting for an attack to happen  
"Legolas, are the giant spiders of…" Xana started before Legolas' hand was clasped over her mouth before he quickly explained  
"If we don't talk about them and just expect an attack it most likely won't happen." He said quickly as they entered a darker part of the wood, reminding Xana that Gimli's father had been lost in these woods 62 years earlier  
"Can I have a little bit of light to see where I'm going?" she asked softly  
"Here, I've just tied a rope onto Beauty's bridle and I'm leading you through the forest," Legolas started before he moved Arod up alongside Beauty. Xana could only tell it was Legolas because of his green Lorién cloak sprawled across Arod's rump "Right, now I'm going to lift you in front of me, just relax, I've done this sort of thing before." Legolas said as he reached out to grab her and move her across  
"Ok, just don't let go." She said smiling at how cheesy it sounded as he moved her across  
"I'll never let go." He whispered in her ear, she could hear the smile in his voice  
"I never knew that you watched _Titanic_ with the hobbits." Xana whispered back, her grey eyes smiling  
"It was a bit hard not to. Merry was screaming when they were in the car. That and I wanted to see how construction and design is like in Valinor. It was inspiring." He said as they travelled even deeper into the forest  
"That's only the 20th century. If I'd had time and had known you had a love for architecture I would have shown you some Greek Temples, wait. I have a picture of the Parthenon in Athens on my I-Pod. There's also a reconstruction of what it would've looked like when it wasn't crumbling." She started as she held onto Arod's mane as they descended a hill "How much longer until we get there?" she asked  
"Not much more, we should be there in about 5 hours at the most. Father will throw a party to celebrate your arrival to Mirkwood tomorrow night." Legolas said remembering the fact that she hated wearing dresses "Do you have an appropriate dress to wear?" he asked  
"I have two clean dresses in my bag and one of them is a longer skirted version of the forest green dress that I wore to the school formal." She said as she looked around at the less dense forest thinking _I could live here. Yep I really could._

* * *

When they finally saw the Mirkwood mountain rise up out of the trees, Xana saw that they were snow topped  
"What season is it at the moment?" asked Nix, who had finally woken up  
"We're just approaching winter, amazingly" Haldir said looking up at the mountain trying to find the windowed rooms that the Halls had  
"Haldir, there aren't any balconied rooms on this side of the Halls. All of them over this side are windowed, the balconies and views are on the other side." Legolas said smiling as he adjusted Xana's position in the saddle. She had fallen asleep shorty after their conversation. "Xana, it's time to wake up if you want to see this view." He whispered into her ear  
"Oh God! Get a room you two!" yelled Nix as she moved herself back onto Nessa-Pia "The Fluff Cannon has exploded!" (A/N: Crystal and I came up with the idea of a Fluff Cannon one lunch when we were very bored and after I had told her that the last Frodo and Crystal chapter had been a hit. That and people were now shipping them. She told me that I HAD to use the term in a chapter somewhere.)  
"And it was blown to kingdom come with you and Haldir almost an age ago!" retorted Xana as she woke up and sent a fire ball her way  
"Oi, Bitch!" Nix yelled as she dodged it, amusing the King and other members of the party  
"**Girls! Stop the quarrelling, we're about to arrive in the Halls of King Thranduil!**" hissed one of the guards as the gate of the Halls came into view.


End file.
